March 2024 tax increases

[Abbas]

With all the computers and electronics on cars it’s expensive to fix them, bodywork is easy, electronics you need the computer terminal at the main dealer to fix them these days, EVs have the battery instead of the engine so shouldn’t be any more expensive.

This is one thing I wonder about with future EV's. They're all supercomputers on wheels, and will probably have different architecture. With ICE cars, a mechanic who knows one car can pretty much work on any other car. What are local mechanics going to do with EV cars? They can't be expected to know every different EV architecture inside out, it's impossible. Will they become redundant? I imagine every car will be so unique you'll have to piss about and go to the main dealers if you need anything sorting

[deltasierra]

I worry that the complex electronics is putting smaller indipendent garages out of business. Then the main stealers can charge what they like. It is not just road tax and insurance. Cost of ownership is being controlled far more by the OEMs now than it was 20 years ago.

The only way to avoid big bills is to take the extended warranty that manufacturers offer usually up to 10yrs some brands are reliable and you can do without, some definitely need it. When the car reaches “classic” status enough general expertise can be found to keep them running.

[john-e89]

Flip side of all this is a ZM for example is, let’s say £16k for a top notch roadster for arguments sake, you’re not spending north of £50k for a new or year old ZM40i, or a newish 718 or whatever….it’s £16K….£740 a year for tax doesn’t seem so bad in those terms , take you a long time to spend £50k on car tax….nor is it a decent weeks holiday….much less…unless Skeggy in the rain is your bag.

[flimper]

£730. Depressing, wouldn't mind if the roads were in a good state and there weren't nanny cameras everywhere

[Pondrew]

£730. Depressing, wouldn't mind if the roads were in a good state and there weren't nanny cameras everywhere

Is this the issue more than the actual cost? As it is throwing money at the Government for what seems to be no return? Very few people seem to complain about spending this sort of money on a service these days, yet RFL is a different matter.

[brillomaster]

one thing that irks me is the disparity - as i say, a 2005 car is £400 a year to tax, yet the exact same car registered a year later is £700.

but then at the other end of the spectrum, a 2016 car might be £700 a year to tax, but the exact same car registered a year later is now £180?

i'll just avoid high tax band cars registered between 2006 and 2017 - or, if i want a performance car made between those two dates, it'll be a performance diesel - because despite the current doom and gloom about diesels and air quality, a perfectly decent 2014 bmw 420d can be taxed for just £35 a year?!?

[buzyg]

Flip side of all this is a ZM for example is, let’s say £16k for a top notch roadster for arguments sake, you’re not spending north of £50k for a new or year old ZM40i, or a newish 718 or whatever….it’s £16K….£740 a year for tax doesn’t seem so bad in those terms , take you a long time to spend £50k on car tax….nor is it a decent weeks holiday….much less…unless Skeggy in the rain is your bag.

Are you going for the Silver Grey one then.

[mmm-five]

one thing that irks me is the disparity - as i say, a 2005 car is £400 a year to tax, yet the exact same car registered a year later is £700.

but then at the other end of the spectrum, a 2016 car might be £700 a year to tax, but the exact same car registered a year later is now £180?

i'll just avoid high tax band cars registered between 2006 and 2017 - or, if i want a performance car made between those two dates, it'll be a performance diesel - because despite the current doom and gloom about diesels and air quality, a perfectly decent 2014 bmw 420d can be taxed for just £35 a year?!?

£150 for my 2015 320D - but it does produce (officially) about 1/3rd of the CO2 that the Z4MC does (127g/km vs 292g/km).

[Gwest44]

Let's be honest the emissions based UK road tax system is a joke.
Now I was talking to a friend of a friend down the pub who has a mate who knows somebody that works at the Post Office. Apparently this somebody isn't averse to issuing a 12 month road fund license at disability rates which as you may or may not know are either 50% cheaper or in certain instances free

[2k35is]

The road tax discrepencies/ insurances increases are typical of many purchase that consumer have to make when government sticks its oar into the situation
Car insurance- introduced that new customers shouldn't pay less than loyal customers. Worked well for 1st year with insurances having subsidiary/association company's that offered a cheaper deal -that can onny work for first year. Imsurers mad lot of money during lockdown-less mileage, fewer accidents wfh all played to there advantage. think their was onlk one(direct line?) that gave customs a refund. After lockdown chip shortages, increased repair costs was an easy call to get premiums up. We all just wanted to get away holiday in Uk or abroad and sod the cost.
Energy prices. Very competitive market before all the net zero Bullshit. Then gas prices linked to electric prices which are set to subsidies wind and solar production. Consumer pays the set tariff- the green suppliers all jump on bandwagon and pocket the difference. Again government setting tariff
House prices- Q.E introduced to give ridiculously low interest rates with building societies and other lenders able to offer mortgage rates at less than 1%- large demand, house builders start building more new house and pushing prices up.

Just my take on situation no doubt others won't agree

[Simon 3.2M]

It is a joke that's for sure Tom!! I am fairly lucky in that my MR is one of the few in the lower tax bracket - the only way I soften the impact is to sorn my cars for several months over the winter.

[Vornwend]

I do the same but with TopCashBack.
My E85 2.2i was £162 last year. At renewal it went up to £254.
Through TCB I got it with Aviva for £154, plus a £35 cash-back.

'Cos I'm old.

Can't complain at that! My 3.0i was £260 with Bank of Scotland plus £45 cash-back.

Also getting on a bit!

[pvr]

Must look into that cash back stuff. LV got the Z pretty decent for me this year (half the price of Admiral multi). In practical terms, I had to move 3 cars to LV from Admiral to save over £1200 in the end. The same person, the same risk, the same cars - and some just doubled and others did not. I could understand if all doubled, but that was not the case.

[Doddsy]

I worry that the complex electronics is putting smaller indipendent garages out of business. Then the main stealers can charge what they like. It is not just road tax and insurance. Cost of ownership is being controlled far more by the OEMs now than it was 20 years ago.

A friend and I used to work for Audi and he now runs his own independent mainly specialising in all that VAG shite. The main dealers are that busy they refer their own customers to him and he is constantly asked to do warranty work for them too

[Mr Tidy]

My M will need taxing at the end of the month, so it'll "only" be £695 this time. I might even SORN it for a month given that February weather isn't usually much good.

It's a price I'm prepared to pay to have such a great car, and at least it isn't depreciating!

But the whole Road Tax system needs an overhaul. My sister bought a 2018 Fiat 500 Twin-Air and has to pay £180 a year like some X5Ms. I told her one registered before 1 April 2017 would have cost nothing but she wanted a newer one.